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Council approves limited liquor license change for a gas station after debate on single‑serve and spirit containers
Summary
The council debated a new C6 liquor license allowing limited packaged sales at a gas station, including lengthy discussion about container sizes and single‑serve spirits; staff clarified airline‑size bottles and the license was approved by roll call after split votes and several abstentions.
The West Chicago City Council debated and ultimately approved an amendment to the liquor code to permit a limited retail classification (C6) to allow packaged alcoholic beverage sales at a gas station, following a multi‑member discussion about container sizes, single‑serve items and public safety.
Alderman Dimas summarized that the liquor commission brought the matter forward because one existing station invested in a product mix that included spirits and asked for a license classification to reflect that investment. Council members and staff spent substantial time clarifying two technical points: whether single‑serve bottled beers under 16 ounces could be sold individually and what minimum container size should be allowed for spirits.
City staff clarified that the ordinance language separated two rules: (1) containers less than 16 ounces must be sold as multi‑packs (e.g., six‑packs) and (2) spirits in airline‑size travel containers (around 50 ml or 1.7 ounces) were intentionally not being banned in the draft, because earlier council direction permitted a limited allowance for travel bottles; larger spirit containers would be permitted under the proposed C6 terms.
Council members debated whether the ordinance's thresholds were set appropriately (suggestions ranged from small ounce changes up toward 16 ounces) but several members said the change would be a narrowly targeted exception for a single station and would not broadly expand liquor sales across all gas stations. After discussion, council took a roll‑call vote; the motion to allow the C6 classification and to implement the specified container rules carried following a mixed vote with a number of abstentions; the mayor stated his approval.
Staff emphasized the approval was limited and that if ownership changed, certain allowances would not automatically transfer. The council did not alter the statewide regulatory framework but tailored local code to manage how packaged alcohol is sold at a specific gas station location.
